The Monday Memo from John Stanko

908: Make Yourself Available

The last two weeks, we have looked at bad examples of what I am calling the "Put Me In, Coach" mentality. People with that mindset is not only ready to be used by God, they are also aggressively seeking ways to be used, making themselves available. Our bad examples the last two weeks were King Saul and Moses, but our two good examples are Nehemiah and the Apostle Paul (who we have already looked at, but we have more insight to garner from his life). Right now, let's look at Nehemiah.

PASSION

When Nehemiah heard some visitors' answers to his questions about the conditions in Jerusalem, he was deeply moved: "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4-5). 

When I speak or write, I sometimes substitute the word passion for purpose. Passion is a driving force that activates your creativity and will to do something. Tears of joy and sorrow often accompany that passion as you respond and make yourself vulnerable and available to a need that exists in the world. The first time I spoke about purpose, people in the room wept. I have seen thousands more cry over the years. Tears and purpose seem to go hand in hand.

In 1998, I was watching a television documentary about the suffering of women in Afghanistan and began to cry. I remember praying, “Lord, why am I crying? I don't know anyone there, but if you need someone to go to Afghanistan, I’m willing.” Out of the blue in 2003, I received an invitation to go to Afghanistan from people I didn’t even know. I went and it changed my life and the course of my ministry.

CLARITY

Nehemiah prayed and fasted to clarify his passion and way forward. Then his big break came. One day he was serving the king and the king noticed that Nehemiah was sad. Let’s read the rest in Nehemiah’s own words. 

The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me (Nehemiah 2:4-9).  

When the king asked Nehemiah what he wanted, Nehemiah had a ready answer. The king understood what he wanted and could then either say yes or no. There seemed to be no hesitancy or ambivalence on Nehemiah's part. He had prayed and thought out what he wanted to do. Also, notice how little religious jargon there was in his dialogue with the king. Yes, Nehemiah did admit he prayed and that God's gracious hand was upon him, but besides that, he was remarkably natural: "Send me . . . so I can rebuild." "I set a time." "May I have letters?" God was not offended or put off by Nehemiah's desire to help the city of his fathers. At no time do we see that God told Nehemiah to go. He made himself available to go, and asked God's and the king's help.

What do you have a passion to do? What problem do you have a passion to address? Are you clear about what you want to do to engage that passion? I urge you to get the kind of clarity Nehemiah had, and then pray, "put me in, Coach." After that, watch for the door to open and see it as God's help so you can participate in the matter that is close to your heart. Nehemiah had nothing but success when he went home, and you can expect that can kind of success as well, but only if you follow your heart to put yourself in the game where it is most meaningful for you. Have a blessed week!

757 - Bible Insights to Share

I provided some personal updates in last week's Memo, and thought I would continue with that strategy again this week. This time, I will include a few biblical insights I have had recently. As I entered the number for this week's Memo (757), I am amazed that I have been writing the Memo almost every week without interruption since 2001. I thank God that He has empowered me to take something this simple and make it into the tool for encouragement and teaching that it has become. Thank you for reading, and if you will keep on reading, I will keep on writing!

1. I came across Romans 15:1, which states: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." I thought it interesting that Paul considered himself and others strong in faith, and placed others in the weak category. This indicates that there are both strong and weak in God's kingdom where matters of faith are concerned, and it is permissible to categorize yourself as "strong." Where purpose is concerned, I am strong!
2. John 9 contains one of my favorite Bible stories of the man born blind whom Jesus healed. At the end of the chapter, Jesus had this exchange with the Pharisees: "Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.' Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “'What? Are we blind too?' Jesus said, 'If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains'" (John 9-39-41). When I say I am a mess, Jesus is with me. When I am blind to my mess and focus on the mess of others, I am still in my blindness and Jesus cannot help me. Let me say without hesitation and with no explanation - I am a mess!
3. It seems to me that we have not spent enough time emphasizing the importance of Genesis 1 and 2, and Revelation 21 and 22, the bookends of the entire Bible. Colossians 1:19-20 states, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Jesus came to restore all things, including the conditions in the Garden before the Fall. The concepts in Genesis 1 and 2 include purpose, creativity, goal-setting, time management, teamwork, and rest. We have trivialized Revelation by focusing on the work of the antichrist instead of the Christ, and we have made the forgiveness of sins, as necessary as that is, as the only work of the cross. Jesus came to do more than just forgive sins; He came to restore God's kingdom!
4. I was talking with someone the other day who said, "Gosh, Jesus is a writer because Hebrews 12:2 says He is the author of faith!" I stopped for a minute and had to smile that I had never considered the word "author" in that verse. In light of my publishing company and my own books, I am now praying to Jesus as one author to another!

That's it for now. I am not sure where we will head next week, but I am sure the same God who directed me through 757 Memos has a few more for me to write. Have a blessed week!

756 - Stanko Update 1

It's been a while since I wrote about the latest things going on in my life and how they relate to purpose, so let's do that this week. Here goes.

• The publishing company I started in early 2015 is going quite well. We have published about 12 books for other authors under the label Urban Press. My son and I are in business together, and it has proved to be a great experience.

• I am working on eight more publishing projects for other authors. It's interesting that I am serving in essence as a creativity coach so often. It seems that creativity is right behind purpose as people deal with their fears to become all that God wants them to be.

• I have already published three of my own books this year under the label PurposeQuest Ink, and I am working on two more for 2016. One of those two is the 20th anniversary edition of my first book, Life is a Gold Mine: Can You Dig It?, and it will be titled Life is Still a Gold Mine: And I'm Still Digging It! The other is my autobiography. The second one may not see the press until early 2017.

• I just recorded my 11th online TV show, Your PurposeQuest, with one of our Urban Press authors, Emmanuel Ike. You can view the first ten shows, and eventually number 11, on my Vimeo channel. Emmanuel recently wrote Rescued: My Stories of Divine Intervention, which you can purchase on Amazon in Kindle or paper format.

• I stopped doing radio at the start of this year, but have found that my interviewing skills, honed on hundreds of shows since 2009, have helped me in publishing. I am sitting with many authors, interviewing them, transcribing the interviews, and after about eight hours of interviews, we have the raw material for a manuscript! Nothing is wasted in God's work He does in anyone's life.

• It is a biblical concept that I am sitting with people and helping them speak their books into existence. Where is that in the Bible, you may ask? It is in Psalm 45:1: "My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer."

• This year's trip to Kenya with a team of people was one of my best ever, for many reasons. I had actually considered discontinuing the trips, but I am not thinking about that any longer. The dates for the 2017 trip are March 2-17. Let me know if you are interested in going. I have been posting short videos of my past visits on my YouTube channel. Take a look and see if you can picture yourself in those videos. If you can, then you are supposed to go, and God will provide the resources, as He always does.

• You can subscribe to receive notices of when I post new videos on YouTube. Just go to my channel and click on the red subscribe button.

• One of my Kenya partners is almost finished with a new building to house our library there in the town of Banana. You can read about it, see some pictures, and then contribute toward its completion using PayPal through my website. I am quite excited about this development, for it will provide a model for others to see and emulate throughout Kenya, and then in other parts of Africa!

• My latest book, Unlocking the Power of You, has generated a lot of interest. I never know how people will receive what I write; that's why I write in faith. I don't look to the market; I look to my heart and write about what's there.

• This summer, I am teaching three college courses: African American Literature and Intertestamental History (both undergraduate) and Leadership and Organizational Change (graduate). This week, I begin teaching my third ever online graduate course, Leadership and Decision Making. I am enjoying teaching more and more.

• Last week, I turned 66 years of age. My father retired at 62; there is no thought further from my mind than retiring at this point in time. Purpose is exhilarating and energizing, and I intend to function in purpose until God directs otherwise or until I am physically unable to perform.

• Today, I officiate at the funeral for a 65-year-old relative by marriage. That will serve as a reminder that I am not guaranteed tomorrow; I must make the most of today, for it may be my last day.

I had more to report than I realized when I started, so we will continue with my update next week. In the meantime, I am speaking at a purpose seminar here in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon, May 14. If you are interested in attending, please send me an email at [email protected]. I hope to see you then, and I will be back next week, Lord willing, with more updates from my world. Have a blessed week!

751 - Relevant Easter

Easter Sunday is next week, so I thought I would represent my Memo I have written in the past concerning the Resurrection. I hope you spend some time meditating this week on the significance and implications of Easter for your PurposeQuest.

A PACKED HOUSE

My church has six weekend services every week, and we are getting ready for overflow crowds next weekend.  People who don't darken the door of a church throughout the year will come to church on Easter Sunday along with some who have returned to the area to visit family, which will make for a packed house. They all sit with the regular attenders, family and friends, and pay homage to the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead. It is probably the same in your church.

We will assemble next week and say by our presence, "Yes, we believe Jesus was dead. Furthermore, we believe that He was in the tomb for three days.  Yes, we believe that God raised Jesus, who was both fully God and fully man, back to life. And yes, we further attest to the fact that Jesus ascended into heaven, and that our flesh, Mary's boy, intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father." I hope you agree that those affirmations summarize the truths of Easter. But is that all the relevant truth where Easter is concerned?

It always intrigues me that many will come and attest to these truths yet all too often those truths have no meaning in or implication for their daily lives.  Stop for a minute and ask, "So what if Jesus was raised from the dead?  What difference does that make in my life?" Those are good questions; let's try to come up with some answers so you can enjoy Easter every day of your life.

MAKING EASTER PERSONAL

If you believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, then you can believe God for anything! If God raises the dead, which He does, then He can cure cancer. He can provide for your business or ministry. He can transform you into the person He intended you to be, that person you want to be. If God can take a dead body and give it life, then nothing is beyond His miracle-working power. What's more, you have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead living in you!  It is not a replica or a portion of that Spirit.  You have the Spirit that raises the dead living in you. Here is what Paul had to say about the implications of this Spirit-resident:

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you (Romans 8:9-11).

I trust you plan on being at your local church fellowship next weekend. Don't go as someone merely giving mental assent to the historical fact of the resurrection, go celebrating the truth that God is alive in You  Then find how to release that resurrection power into your life, relationships, work and purpose. If you can believe that God raises the dead - and you should - then you can believe God for anything. Have a great resurrection-power-filled week filled with a daily Easter!  Happy Resurrection Day!

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KENYA CHRISTMAS UPDATE AT EASTER: I posted a wonderful thank you with touching pictures from the Each One Touch One Orphanage in Kenya. Please read the update and then remember the children in your giving.

690: New Year's Ramblings

Happy New Year! I trust you had a good holiday season. My family and I sure did. Now it's time, however, to turn our attention to a new year of purpose, and I am excited for what the new year holds. Next week I will start a new series on faith and purpose by the title, What You See Is What You Get. For now, let's start the year off as we have the last few - with some new year musings.

1. It has been almost one year since I resigned my position at my church. As I reflected on the past year, it was one of new beginnings. I have enjoyed the freedom to schedule and pursue what is in my heart to do, but I have definitely missed the staff interaction
2. I started Urban Press last year and we published our first book in November. I am working on five book projects with authors right now, with many more in the wings. Some people have had ideas to write manuscripts for many years. My goal is to help them make their dream a reality. So far, so good.
3. In November, I had a great awakening that I needed to do more fundraising, making people aware of my needs. I realized I cannot try to work for money and then come home to pursue writing, publishing and orphan work as a full-time job. When I made my needs known, people contributed and wrote, "We have been wanting to give for a while. Thanks for the opportunity." It reminded me of what my fundraising mentor told me once: "People need to give more than you need to receive."
4. If everyone who reads and benefits from these Monday Memos would give at least $5 annually (and some can give more), I would be free to do the work God has called me to do with no financial lack.
5. I am excited about my new daily devotional for 2015: Your LIfe Matters: Reflections from the Psalms. You can subscribe to receive it here or read more about its philosophy and content here. This will make the sixth year that I will write and publish a devotional every day.
6. I estimate it will require 150-200 hours to produce this year's devotional. If you multiply that by five, I have spent 750-1000 hours in the last five years producing my daily devotionals. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to do so. It is an offering of love.
7. Every publisher I have ever met has told me that devotionals don't sell well - and so far, they are correct. Mine don't sell that many copies. I write in faith and publish in faith, however, and I hope my books will outlive me. Therefore I continue to write to give people today and tomorrow an opportunity to have a daily encounter with God's word in what little time they have to do so.
8. I am teaching three classes this term - Practical Preaching, the Psalms, and Motivation and Leadership. Teaching continues to be a joy to do.
9. I am returning to Kenya in February, 2015 with 14 other people. I hope this year to return to England in the fall. If you or your church would like to sponsor a purpose session in the UK, please let me know.
10. I started a new radio show last Saturday and I have sponsors who are paying for this one! That makes five weekly shows I am doing. I will also have a regular television series that shows here locally in Pittsburgh as well as on my Internet tv channel. When I broadcast, I feel God's pleasure.
11. We are looking forward to our daughter's wedding on April 11!

That's about it. Remember, I produce these Memos and distribute them free of charge. They are free, but they aren't cheap, for I put a lot of man hours in preparing them. If these Memos have blessed you, I ask that you invest in their distribution. You can give through my website or by sending a tax-deductible contribution to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you and may 2015 be all that you want and need it to be - and more!

679: Ebola Response

Some people have asked me about my travels to Africa in light of the latest medical situation that has made headlines. It has caused me to reflect on another time when I was in Afghanistan during a dangerous time in that country. Every morning our team there had a two-hour devotional time and we started by reading Psalm 91 out loud and in unison. Then we went about our business every day. I include that psalm here (with bold emphasis added to important truths) as my response to anyone who asks my position on this latest crisis:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

I will not go to any part of Africa to be a crusader, so if things reach a crisis mode, I will quickly and gladly postpone any trip. I have wanted to go to Syria for years, but obviously now is not the right time. One day I will go. When I go, however, I will not go in fear. The same is true for a trip to Kenya or any other country. I have survived trips to Indonesia, Cuba, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and many other places when things were tense. I came home because of the truth found in Psalm 91. I am not about to ignore that truth any time soon as I pursue God's will. Have a blessed week.

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KENYA UPDATE: I invite you to read Pastor Francis' response to the latest money we sent to feed orphans, which also includes a brief history of his work there. You will understand why we support him. After you read, I urge you to consider a gift to help us bless the children as the holidays approach. You can give toward this cause through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you and God bless you for helping Pastor Francis and others like him who are helping the children.

PURPOSE SEMINAR: My last purpose seminar for this year here in Pittsburgh is Saturday, November 1 from noon to 4:30. It's free but you have to register, so please let me know if you plan to attend.

WRITER'S WORKSHOP CD SET: The Writing and Creativity Workshop we had two weeks ago was a huge success. We recorded all five hours and the CDs will be for sale for $15 (four CDs) in about this coming week. You can pre-order a set (and I highly recommend you do so if those topics at all interest you) and I will mail them to you when they are ready. Just send me an email and we can arrange payment.

637: Year-End Musings

This past week I had a great Christmas holiday with my family and friends and now I am off for a few days of rest and relaxation. I was going to write a Memo based on my thoughts after seeing the great movie Saving Mr. Banks, but I will hold that until next week and close out 2013 with some year-end musings.

1. I turned in my resignation effective January 31 for my day-to-day church position. I love my church but it's been five years and I thought it was time to do some other things. I hope to stay connected there by doing some work in publishing and communications.
2. It seems the Lord puts me through a transition every five years; it has been that way all my adult life.
3. I have no other job to pursue and won't look, but I will consider whatever God sends. I turn 64 next year and want to publish and broadcast, and help others do both in the years to come.
4. I just finished my 2013 Purpose Pearls daily devotional. That makes four years or 1400-plus consecutive days I have written something. My goal is 2,600 consecutive days, since that is the record number of consecutive games played by one pro baseball player. If he can do that for baseball, I can write that long for Jesus.
5. My 2014 devotional project will be Leadership Walk. I have already mapped out about 100 days of verses and will spend the remaining holiday time identifying some more.
6. When sit behind a phone or mike for a radio broadcast, I sense God's pleasure. Therefore I want to do more of that in 2014, with plans to start a fourth weekly show in February called Urban Heroes.
7. I am scheduled to teach four classes in January; I love teaching, especially leadership concepts and classes.
8. I am of Ukrainian descent, and feel a stirring to get back into learning Ukraininan. I can already read and write, but now have a ton of work to do on my conversational skills.
9. I still want to study biblical Hebrew. I had started but had to stop when my mother got sick five years ago; maybe it's time to get back into it.
10. I will conduct four purpose seminars in Pittsburgh in 2014, and one in Ambridge, PA. If you would like to sponsor one in your home or area, please write and let's plan one.
11. There could be a wedding in the Stanko family in 2014 - just sayin'.
12. With your help, I have raised $100,000 for Kenya relief work since 2008. God is good and you are fantastic to help.

That's about it from my end. My family and I wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

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KENYA: If you are looking for a worthy cause to which you can make a year-end contribution, may I recommend my work in Kenya. I am going back with a team on February 27, and I would love to take an abundant blessing with me to distribute. You can contribute by making a check payable to PurposeQuest. PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882 or by giving via PayPal through my website. Thank you for your generosity.

THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE: The training I recieved in cognitive and social learning has change my life and now it can change yours, too. I am hosting a seminar here in Pittsburgh on January 23 and 24, and then February 20 and 21 (it's a four-day seminar). Write for more information and then plan to attend. Invest in yourself as 2014 begins.

632: Poor Gift

It was probably 10 years ago, maybe more. I was praying and the Lord impressed on me that I was not using my administrative gift, the gift He had given me, for anything but to make money. I would rent my gift out to whomever wanted to pay, and the term 'hired gun' kept running through my mind. The conclusion was clear: I was not using my gift to help the poor. I was going in and out of Africa at that time, and I thought doing good work - when I got paid, I made sure my my clients got their money's worth. But I was not giving my gift away in a manner that was pleasing to God, so some changes were in order.

That encounter with the Lord was instrumental in taking my position at the church where I am now, for it is an urban congregation that is devoted to making a difference among the urban residents and poor of the North Side of my home town. I saw that as a good place for my gift to be 'used.'

But the main impact was in Africa, specifically Kenya, where I began to create and administrate projects that would impact the poor there, without being condescending or paternal. I wanted to use my gift to help, but also to equip the poor to help themselves. The result has been a host of new programs that I trust will make a difference now and when I am gone from the scene (you can see those programs listed here).

There is a verse in Proverbs that urges you to share your food with the poor: "The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor" (22:9). I take a broader view of the food mentioned there than just physical sustenance. It is whatever you have that can feed and nourish others in body, soul or spirit.

Are you hoarding your gift? Are you using it at your place of employment and maybe even your church, but not allowing it, whatever the IT is, to impact those who have little or nothing? I urge you this holiday season (it is Thanksgiving in the United States) as the year closes to search your heart and take stock of your life, and then do what you must to make changes that will alter the time and effort you devote to the cause of the poor, whether in your country or another.

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MATCHING GRANT: Last week I was pleased to announced that my ministry had received a $2,500 matching grant to be used as I saw fit. The deadline for this grant is this coming Saturday, November 30. That means that the donor will match all other contributions that come in by Saturday, up to $2,500. So far $710 has come in, so we have a ways to go and five days in which to do it. Please give today using this special Paypal link or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.

FACEBOOK: When you get a chance, please go to FaceBook and 'like' my PurposeQuest International ministry page @PurposeQuestInternational.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING:  Here's wishing a happy holiday to all my American and wanna-be American friends. Have a blessed Thanksgiving and don't forget to be thankful.

631: Time for Random Thoughts

Here are some random thoughts this week for the Monday Memo.  

1. I am working toward starting a few publishing imprints to publish books and other literary works. Watch for more information on that in the coming months.

2. God is stirring me to start some new ventures and I am scared - moving forward, dealing with my fears, but scared nonetheless.

3. I have no reason to doubt God's provision or goodness, and I have a million testimonies of God's faithfulness, but I am still battling fear.

4. Our speaker in church on Sunday mentioned purpose about 15 times.  There is no escaping purpose in the coming days and months. It will not grow less important but more!

5. I have had more than 400 people in my purpose seminars since 2010. It's time for a celebration. More word on that in the coming months as well.

6. I published my 15th book last week, Faith Files, Volume 3. I hope to put out two more by year's end.

7. I have never suffered from writer's block and never will. Block is fear-based and I have overcome fear where writing is concerned with God's help. Well, mostly overcome it!

8. I am doing three one-hour radio shows every week. I wish it was five a week, four hours a day. I love it.

9. Since I have taught that we can find the roots for everything in Genesis 1-3, I am studying the traces of administration there. (I am teaching Church Administration on Friday nights, thus the interest.)

10. I am teaching college-level classes more and more and enjoying it more and more. I want to write a textbook with some of my colleagues.

11. I thought I would take next year off from writing a daily devotional. Then the Lord impressed upon me the need to do a leadership devotional. I am currently negotiating with Him to do it five days a week.

12. My next book is Life is a Garden: Can You Dig It? My goal is to publish it through my own publishing company.

12. I have been hosting a monthly meeting here in Pittsburgh for creative people to encourage and support them and their work. The next meeting is this coming Saturday, November 23. I invite you to join us at 1 PM.

12. I received a $2,500 matching challenge grant for my ministry. There are come exciting needs - publishing, Kenya, developing purpose materials.  See below for how you can help by doubling your contribution through this grant.

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MATCHING GRANT: I have received a $2,500 matching grant, which means the donor will match all donations coming in by November 30 dollar-for-dollar. This is what the donor is calling a Thanksgiving gift. You can give through Paypal, where I have set up a special donor button or by sending a check to PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Remember, the deadline is Saturday, November 30, at midnight to double your donation through the matching grant. All donations are of course tax-deductible.

FACEBOOK: When you get a chance, please go to FaceBook and like my PurposeQuest International ministry page @PurposeQuestInternational.

569: More Media

Last year I wrote that I was starting an Internet radio show, and that has gone well. I have recorded about 70 shows and have also used four guest hosts to fill in for me while I am gone, thus mentoring others in the broadcast ministry.  Now it is time to take it to the next level.  Before I say what that level is, let me share some background.

For many years, I have felt that more media was in my future. When I put on the headphones, I sense God's presence and pleasure.  I would have great interviews, and hosts would say, "I am going to have you back." In most cases, they never did. It was always a mystery why that would happen.

In 2008, I had a windfall profit from a trip to England, and decided to invest it in Internet radio to both learn and reach more people with the purpose message.  It was a great experience. I did 13 shows, had 1,000 listeners a show and 30 people downloaded one of my shows to listen to every day.  But when I ran out of money, I stopped the show to wait for another time.  Last year was that time for the Internet, and the response has been good. I have had a blast.

Now on Saturday, September 15, I am going to host a weekly 8 AM Saturday morning show here in Pittsburgh on 73WPIT AM. The show will be called Wake Up to Purpose, and I will attempt to build a show with many different segments, but all contributing to the listeners finding purpose. Anyone can call in during the show at 1.412.333.9748, and it will be streamed live on the station's website. 

Furthermore, next year I am going to record 13 television segments of a show called Your PurposeQuest that will air on Cornerstone Television Network in the fall of 2013. I am so excited to be able to develop that show and the supportive material to go with it.  We have many exciting, creative ideas to incorporate into that endeavor.

All in all, it's an exciting time. Yet it's not about me, it's about the message God gave me, the message of purpose that continues to impact people all over the world. Don't ask me how, but I feel there is even more media in my future; I just can't see it all yet - but I can see me doing it.

So thank you for your encouragement over the years that has kept me writing and producing. If you would like to contribute to my media efforts, you can do so through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. If you can, call into the show some Saturday, and please listen in by radio or Internet.  And then give me your honest feedback on how I am doing and any new ideas you may have for the show. 

Who knows, maybe one day the show will be live in your city via syndication!  Now that would be a grand thing, and I will work toward developing material and a show worthy of such exposure. How, what can you do this week that will bring you a step closer to a dream you have?  It doesn't have to media; it just has to be in your heart. Feel free to write and tell me what that is, and let me know if I can help. I pray you have a purposeful, happy week ahead of you.  I know I will. 

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KENYA UPDATE:  You can find my latest update from my trip to Kenya on my blog.  This includes updates from Alice and Pastor Peter. And then do what you can to help them and the others in Kenya by contributing through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.  Thanks!